This application claims the priority of German Application No. 103 45 328.8-21 filed Sep. 30, 2003, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.
The invention relates to an aerodynamically constructed covering part for the underside of a motor vehicle. Preferred embodiments relate to such a covering part for a passenger car, having an air guiding element arranged adjacent to an inflow opening. In the driving operation, a partial flow of the cooling air flowing through between the covering part and the roadway is guided through the inflow opening and the air guiding element to areas above the covering part to an assembly and/or a chassis part situated above.
Such a covering part is known from German Patent Document DE 37 16 701 A1 (corresponding U.S. Pat. No. 5,025,878). In this arrangement, the air guiding element is formed by a blade-shaped holding element arranged adjacent to the inflow opening. On one side, this holding element is fastened to the covering part and, on the other side, to the transmission case situated above. This double fastening requires relatively large mounting expenditures and is very time-intensive.
It is an object of the invention to further develop a covering part for the underside of a motor vehicle provided with an air guiding element such that the fastening between the covering part and the air guiding element is simplified.
According to the invention, this object is achieved by providing an aerodynamically constructed covering part for the underside of a passenger motor car, having an air guiding element arranged adjacent to an inflow opening such that a partial flow of cooling air flows in the driving operation through between the covering part and the roadway and is guided through the inflow opening and the air guiding element to areas above the covering part to an assembly situated above the covering part to be cooled, wherein the air guiding element is inserted into a receiving opening of the covering part and is connected with the covering part by way of slide-detent connections.
Other advantageous features of preferred embodiments of the invention are described herein and in the claims.
Important advantages achieved by certain preferred embodiments of the invention are that, by means of the suggested slide-detent connection between the covering part and the air guiding element, a fast and secure connection is established between the two components. Additional fastening elements, such as screws or the like, and mounting tools are not required. Different air guiding elements can be combined with the same covering part by means of this fastening concept according to certain preferred embodiments of the invention. This means that a high geometric freedom is achieved when designing the aerodynamically effective areas as well as a variant formation with an identical basic geometry.
The multiple-action separable detent connection and the locally arranged supporting ribs ensure a play-free connection between the two components according to certain preferred embodiments of the invention. The used air guiding element is supported in the fastening area alternately at the top side and bottom side of the covering part according to certain preferred embodiments of the invention.
An embodiment of the invention is explained in detail by means of the drawing.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.